“Bad Ones” [ft. Tegan and Sara]

Lately, Matthew Dear has been moving away from subtle and heady dance production towards dark pop music, bringing a dose of his tried-and-true techno chops to more accessible tracks. It makes sense that he would recruit Tegan and Sara, who have been on their own journey of reinvention, for a classic synth-pop single. Dear and the Quin sisters previously collaborated on a cover of “Pale Shelter,” by the 1980s chart-toppers Tears for Fears, and while they did a fine job then showcasing each other’s talents, “Bad Ones” is truly the intersection of both artists’ sounds.

Dear’s production here is cinched and smooth, tighter than anything that has backed Tegan and Sara since their 2013 album Heartthrob. “Bad Ones” uses a precise, even-keeled beat to support its layers of rippling synths and restrained vocals, building towards a climax that pits its slightly morose lyrics against the production’s bouncy demeanor. Tegan and Sara have always been talented lyricists, and their knack for emotional introspection and self-deprecation (“If I was one of the good ones/I don’t think you’d like me”) contrasts the uptempo tone nicely. When Dear’s dejected baritone and Tegan and Sara’s perky soprano crash together for the hook (“I’m one of the bad ones/And that’s why you feel lucky”), it’s a moment where the trio fulfill all their pop star aspirations.